Pubdate: Fri, 9 July 1999
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Copyright: 1999, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Contact:  414-224-8280
Website: http://www.jsonline.com/
Forum: http://www.jsonline.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimate.cgi
Author: Lisa Sink of the Journal Sentinel staff

CITY TO SEIZE, SELL HOME OF DRUG DEALERS

Man let cocaine users live in house his parents willed him

Waukesha - A New Berlin man who allowed his friends to deal crack cocaine
out of his childhood home lost the real estate Thursday when a judge for the
first time in Waukesha County ordered the home be forfeited to the city and
sold.

"I never thought this could happen," Robert Stefani said ruefully. "You can
lose more than you think."

Stefani, 46, knew he'd face prison and fines for getting caught using
cocaine, but he never imagined he'd lose the home his parents willed to him.

"My parents - if they're looking down from heaven today - I'm sure they're
really disappointed," he told a reporter.

"I planned on keeping it all my life. I lost what probably meant the most to
me. It's definitely not worth it. Don't let (drug dealers) hang out in your
house."

Stefani signed papers Thursday agreeing to give up ownership of the home -
worth about $100,000 - to the city, which will repair it and put it on the
market. Judge Marianne Becker issued an order approving the deal.

Stefani gave in, he and his attorney said, because he knew he had no chance
of winning at trial scheduled for Thursday under a relatively new state
public nuisance law involving drug houses.

Under the law, if a municipality proves there was drug activity in a
dwelling, that dwelling is automatically declared a public nuisance and can
be seized and sold.

The law has been used only once in Milwaukee County, in a case involving a
landlord who failed to evict problem tenants and stop drug activity.

But Milwaukee County uses other state laws to file petitions every week to
shut down and clean up problem sites, said Milwaukee Assistant City Attorney
David Halbrooks.

In the Waukesha County case, the proceeds from the sale of Stefani's home
will be split, with 40% going to the city police department; 40% to the
Waukesha County Metro Drug Enforcement Unit, which investigated the home's
drug activity; and 20% to the state corrections department to pay for
Stefani's drug abuse treatment.

The two-story Cape Cod at 17801 W. Roosevelt Ave. is in a middle-class
neighborhood - which Stefani's associates deemed was a prime spot for
dealing.

In the criminal complaint, Robert Demshar, who is serving a 20-year prison
term for running the operation out of Stefani's home, said, "It is safer
there than going into Milwaukee where you could get shot, stabbed or beaten
up."

County drug agents raided Stefani's home Oct. 28 and seized about $1,500
worth of crack cocaine, $700 of marijuana and $1,300 in cash. Stefani
allegedly told investigators that Demshar sold as much as $1,000 worth of
cocaine a day from the home.

Demshar and his girlfriend, Rebecca Miller, paid Stefani rent in rocks of
crack cocaine, Stefani said. Stefani's own addiction was so strong that he
withdrew thousands of dollars from his personal investments to buy cocaine
from Demshar.

Miller has been convicted of possession of cocaine with the intent to
deliver and is awaiting sentencing. Stefani and Jack Goehring, who was
arrested in the raid, are scheduled to go on trial next week on drug
charges.

After the raid, the city filed a public nuisance action against Stefani and
won a court order to have it temporarily boarded up and deemed
uninhabitable.

New Berlin Mayor James Gatzke said suburbs should not be shy about getting
tough with those who run drug houses.

"Drugs are epidemic," he said. "They are in suburbs, and they are in cities.
If you've got it, step in before it become commonplace, before you have one
on every block."

Under Becker's order, Stefani has 10 days to remove his property from the
home or forfeit it to the city. He said he plans to have moving trucks there
as early as today.

After the hearing, the head of the county drug unit praised New Berlin for
taking the case to court.

"This sends a message to anyone dealing drugs in the county that we're here,
and we're coming for you," said sheriff's Capt. Terry Martorano.

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